rufflike

Rufflike is an English adjective used in descriptive writing to denote likeness to a ruff, the frilled collar worn around the neck in the 16th and 17th centuries. It signals a fringe, margin, or edge that is radiating, pleated, or frilled in appearance.

Used across disciplines, it typically describes a structure that forms a radiating or dense edge rather than a single solid surface. The term is primarily descriptive and not tied to a specific taxonomic category.

In botany and paleobotany, rufflike structures may describe petals, calyxes, or inflorescences with a frilled margin. In zoology and paleontology, it can refer to limb, gill, or exoskeletal margins that resemble a neck ruff. In textiles and fashion history, rufflike patterns or silhouettes evoke the appearance of a ruff without being an actual garment.

Because it is a descriptive qualifier, usage can vary among authors and may overlap with terms such as frilled, crenulate, or crenate. Orthographic practice also varies, with rufflike sometimes written without a hyphen or as ruff-like depending on the style guide.

See also: ruff (garment), frill, corona, border ornament.